Meet the boss who is most powerful person in British car industry with control of NINE auto firms

THE most powerful person in the UK car industry right now is Maria Grazia Davino, and she’s playing it like a football team.

She’s got, stand by, count on the fingers of three hands . . . 

• Vauxhall
• Peugeot
• Citroen
• DS
• Fiat
• Abarth
• Jeep
• Alfa Romeo
• Plus vans
• Plus a UK factory
• Plus another UK factory

That’s her first 11 and she’s also in charge of Spoticar used cars, Free2move rentals, Free2move charging and Stellantis Financial Services.

Lots going on, then.

I had a good natter with the Italian — she’s 45, a Napoli fan, drives a Stelvio — eight weeks into her job as CEO of Stellantis UK.

She has work to do to convince reluctant drivers to switch to electric, defend against emerging Chinese brands, re-energise dealers, futureproof the Luton van plant — as well as hit strict quotas under the so-called Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

Which is a lot easier to say than to do.

But she plays to win.

She’s already CUT prices at Alfa Romeo and Vauxhall vans and has sweetened PCP deals for Corsa, Mokka and Astra.

Here are ten minutes inside the mind of the new gaffer.

Open goal

Maria Grazia said: “For me, the beauty and the challenge is in the 50/50.

“When there’s a 50 per cent probability to succeed and a 50 per cent probability not to succeed, it’s tough. But at least the ball is in the centre and you can play.

“I represent a great company with an incredible global vision and extremes of expansion.

“But when you transform, you have lots of headwinds and if you look at the NFDA (National Franchised Dealers Association) rankings it tells the opposite of a great story.

“So I translate this into a 50/50. My only option is to make it happen. I have to make it happen.

“I have to translate the power of this company to the people that represent us.

“That starts with the salesperson, the aftersales person, and in the workshops.

“The challenge is to increase market share and customer satisfaction.

“Then the rest comes together.”

Vauxhall is her star player in all of this, the home-grown Harry Kane if you like, doing big numbers — more than 40 per cent of sales.

The full Stellantis squad will top 300,000 car and van sales by Christmas — around 14 per cent of the market.

Head and shoulders above Ford.

Two quick questions: Has Ford left an open goal by scrapping Fiesta?

Does she fear cheap Chinese substitutes?

Maria Grazia replies: “In competition, you have to be fit to perform.

“You have to watch what the others are doing — and take inspiration from them.

“But the fact is, there are other competitors. You are never alone in competition.

“So as good as you can be, performing and having inspiring insights, the others can too.

“So let’s see. Let’s compete and, month by month, we will see how we will play that competition.”

You’re sounding a bit like Pep Guardiola . . . 

She smiles and says: “He’s very unconventional, like me. The players play the game that he wants them to play.

“He’s adapting the players to the team. Everyone has to express their best for the team.”

Just days after Rishi told drivers they can keep buying petrol cars until 2035, the ZEV mandate was rubber-stamped, forcing manufacturers to sell increasing numbers of EVs.

One in five new cars sold next year must be pure electric, rising to four in five by 2030.

Firms that fail to hit the strict quotas could be fined £15k per car.

So how’s that going to work?

Electric cars are expensive. They make sense for company car drivers because of the tax incentives.

But for everyone else they cost around £10k more than the petrol equivalent.

Maria Grazia says: “Now we have a clear rule of the game, we will face it from day one.

“Of course we are facing a very reluctant retail demand. We have to deal with the limits.

“It means I have to clean the path to dealers and big fleet stakeholders in order to make the game on other channels — until retail finds the stability.”

Maria Grazia admits her team must do a better job of explaining electric cars to people — including the sweeteners of lower APR, longer payment terms and cheaper running costs.

She says: “We are working on a TCO (total cost of ownership) equation that makes the purchase of an electric vehicle similar to a combustion car.

“Maybe, yes, you see the price, but actually you are paying £300 a month. For the same money you can have an electric vehicle.”

But then comes the next sticking point: Charging. The public infrastructure is years behind.

Maria Grazia says: “We have Free2move charge, offering wallboxes and so on.

“We are working on an alliance with Octopus, we are working with public affairs, we are investing in infrastructure with the dealers and so on.

“I did a tour around the UK to learn the geography and there are some parts of the country that are really poorly covered and require a joint effort.”

She concludes: “I love the challenge of the UK. You have a different speed, a different dynamic to other European countries.

“If you don’t move, you lose.”

We could do with one of her team talks at Bramall Lane.

Boss of ALL these auto firms, Maria Grazia says...

VANS: I have two UK van plants and they are a pillar of the strategy of Stellantis.

Ellesmere Port is the first electrified plant and Luton is also on a transformation path.

CITROEN: Has strong heritage in the UK.

We’ve launched the e-C3 in the region of £20,000.

We are good in the B-segment – this is where we will exploit potential.

FIAT: The 500e is brilliant, a beautiful car.

It has not been helped by some operational issues – but the offer works now.

We are bringing the 600 to the UK.

ABARTH: The fun, slightly wicked side of life.

The Abarth 500 is our first electric pocket rocket.

And there’s more to come next year.

PEUGEOT: Has done an excellent job with brand image, it is ranking higher and higher.

It is on a good path but can do better.

The e3008’s had excellent reviews.

DS: Beautiful products, as recognised by everyone.

The problem is the level of awareness is not there.

And so the level of consideration is not there.

JEEP: The Avenger has big UK potential.

Unfortunately Jeep and Alfa had delays in right-hand drive versions.

Recon and Wagoneer will be with us soon.

VAUXHALL: With Corsa and Mokka we can do a proper job.

We are working on a TCO (total cost of ownership) that is competitive and more accessible. HQ is supporting us.

ALFA ROMEO: Alfa Romeo is Alfa Romeo.

An incredible, beautiful brand with big power.

We have great products and much more to come.

I have to align the planets in the UK.